NASA Astronauts ‘Stranded’ in Space After Starliner Thruster Failure

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams faced a near-catastrophe during the Boeing Starliner’s first crewed test flight to the International Space Station (ISS) in June 2024. A new report from the space agency classified the incident as a life-threatening “Type A mishap,” putting it on the same level as the two fatal Space Shuttle disasters of 1986 and 2003.

The Starliner capsule, built by Boeing, experienced thruster failures that left the spacecraft dangerously out of control. The astronauts successfully restarted the propulsion system and manually docked with the ISS, avoiding a potential disaster.

“One senior NASA official said, ‘We almost did have a really terrible day,’” the report notes. Jared Isaacman, NASA’s chief, added: “Had different decisions been made, had thrusters not been recovered, or had docking been unsuccessful, the outcome of this mission could have been very, very different.”

The astronauts’ planned 10-day stay on the ISS was extended to nine months while NASA assessed the problem. During re-entry, the capsule still experienced thruster issues, although it ultimately returned to Earth safely.

The Boeing Starliner program has faced ongoing technical challenges, including issues with flammable tape on electrical systems and parachute failures. The report also highlighted leadership and cultural problems between Boeing and NASA, which compounded the hardware issues.

Boeing has stated that it has implemented “significant cultural changes” and made substantial progress in addressing technical challenges since the incident. NASA officials continue to emphasize the seriousness of the mishap as the agency prepares for future lunar missions aboard rockets with limited crewed flight history.

“This was a really challenging event in our recent history,” said senior NASA official Amit Kshatriya. “We almost did have a really terrible day.